NovorossiyskPort has announced that it has no dirty ballast reception facilities. The port authority has therefore advised that all tankers are required to arrive with clean and segregated ballast only.

To minimise the possibility of arriving at Novorossiysk with unacceptable ballast water, tankers are urged to perform a ballast water exchange once inside the Black Sea and prior to arrival. INTERTANKO has advised members of this previously with details provided in the Ballast Water Legislation area of our website – click here to view.

Tankers may be prohibited from discharging ballast water in the port area. Samples of ballast water will be taken from the ballast tanks by Port State Control inspectors on arrival/berthing. Similar procedures have been noted in other Black Sea ports and members are advised to note previous problems relating to alleged off-spec ballast water (Click herefor details) particularly as the port authority has noted that 'violation of the above requirements may cause considerable delays and huge losses'. Tankers will be prohibited from discharging ballast water until a ballast exchange has been carried out outside the ecological zone. If a vessel is obliged to leave the port and return with exchanged ballast, owners will pay all port dues in full again since it will be considered as the vessel's second call at Novorossiysk.